How To Move A Fish Tank
Moving specialty items like pianos, pool tables, and fish tanks can be very complicated. That’s why it’s best to leave tricky items to professionals like the ones at Georgetown Moving and Storage Company! Our movers have the training and experience to transport these fragile and cumbersome items without causing damage to your things. Since it requires special attention to detail and tact to know how to move a fish tank, we recommend that you give us a call at (703) 889-8899or contact us online!
The first step in moving these kinds of items is preparation. Although many homes do not have large fish tanks, some do. Even small fish tanks require special care and preparation during a move in the Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC areas. Before moving your fish tank, you need to remove the fish and place them in some kind of holding area. Depending on the amount of time between your new and old locations, you can opt for individual bags for the fish with water from the tank or a sealed bucket for larger fish that need more space to move around.
If you are planning an interstate move, it is best to contact a company who specializes in transportation or shipping of fish to ensure you keep them safe and comfortable. Moving can be especially stressful for fish, so it’s important to follow these guidelines to make the move as easy as possible—both for them and you!
Remove Your Fish Before Moving the Tank
As we stated before, the most important thing to remember when relocating your tank is that you should never move the tank with the fish inside. Whether you are relocating the tank to another room, down the street, or to another town or state, the fish should always be removed from the tank first. Unfortunately, Georgetown Moving and Storage is not licensed to transport live animals, which is probably for the best since we highly doubt that any animal would enjoy a bumpy ride in a hot truck.
Dump the Fish Tank
Once you have individually secured your fish, the next step is to dump your tank. When dumping the tank, you should try to save some of the water to place back into the newly filled tank. This will help to preserve some of the bacteria from the water the fish are used to. Fish are prone to being shocked by a new environment, and this can sometimes be fatal. By keeping some of the old water from the tank and adding it to the newly filled tank, you can make your fish feel more familiar in their new home.
Monitor Conditions
To ensure that your fish are as comfortable as possible in their new home, you will want to keep the following conditions the same—as much as possible:
- Water temperature
- Type of water
- Salinity level
- Silt levels
- Plants or decorations
- Anything else that could impact the fish tank’s environment
Any sand, coral, rocks, or other decorations should also be removed from the tank before moving.
Protect Your Fish Tank
Anything that could bump the sides of the tank, scratching or breaking the glass, should also be removed. You also need to take out all the water pumps and filters before the movers arrive to transport the fish tank. This would also be a good chance to clean the tank if you haven’t done so in a while. The glass can be cleaned and the inside can be scrubbed to make it look like new again. This will also help to get rid of any dirt or grime before placing the fish back in the tank after the move.
Choose Georgetown Moving and Storage Company
Do you need to move a fish tank? Our certified, licensed, experienced, and professional movers are happy to help you pack, wrap, store, unpack, unwrap, and assemble your fish tank after we’ve transported it to your new home or apartment. By taking the proper precautionary steps before moving a specialty item like a fish tank, you will decrease your chances of damaging or breaking your property, or losing it altogether in the process.
If you need help with how to move a fish tank in the Maryland, Virginia, or Washington, DC areas—call us at (703) 889-8899 today!
Looking for something else?
